REVIEW: Dark Model – ‘Dark Model’

July 7th, 2014 Brian Leak

Artist: Dark Model
Album: Dark Model
Genre: EDM, Orchestral

In the overly homogenized genre that EDM has become in recent years, it takes a lot to truly stand out and grab one’s attention. This obviously goes for any genre of music, truly, but electronic dance music seems to have fallen victim to over-saturation and timeworn ideas even more so than others as of late. With what has appeared to be the death of dubstep–which ironically lived as a whole with a shortlived but steady buildup before its drop–producers that were comfortable within those chaotically robotic sounds have found themselves exploring other areas of electronic music; trap, dance, club, house, etc. But it’s Dark Model that has come out with a debut that not only transverses all of these styles but transcends them as well with massive production and the addition of orchestral elements unlike anything utilized within EDM at this time.

Serving as more than just an album, Dark Model plays like the brilliantly uplifting score for an action blockbuster or video game that fans camp out in line for leading up to their launch. The huge wall of sound provided by the orchestration adds an element to the electronics that takes it all to another level. The dramatic strings and percussion never feel tacked on as an afterthought–they feel organic and serve as an integral part of the whole creation. Whether it’s the sporadic and highly intense “Close To Infinity” or the breakbeat spy thriller “Moment Of Truth,” Dark Model is a non-stop ride on the edge of your seat. It’s thrilling and exciting and if it weren’t for my complete lack of flexibility and my ever-waning athleticism, I’d probably take up parkour solely because of this release.

Basically, within its 16 tracks, Dark Model contains everything you love about electronic music with one undeniable inclusion: enormous instrumentation. With the perfect use of strings, percussion, vocal samples, electronic effects, and pure creativity on top of already impressive EDM foundations, Tatsuya Oe has created one of the best electronic music efforts in recent memory and easily one of the most grandiose and memorable of 2014. The fact that his self-titled album as Dark Model is merely a debut should be nothing short of intimidating to all other producers within the world of EDM.

Do not sleep on Dark Model. This album will be your new coffee, and it will remain in your subconscious as the soundtrack to your most bad-ass dreams.